Page 37 of This or That
“I said, what do you think you’re doing?”
“What does it look like I’m doing, Mom?” My tone is less than polite, but I can barely breathe, and anyway, she deserves it for interrupting my escape. Blinking the sweat from my eyes, I take in the form of my mother. Standing on the other side of the treadmill, she’s wearing a purple robe that remains tightly closed under her crossed arms.
“Don’t use that tone with me, Michael. I’m warning you, I’m two seconds away from using your full name!” Her voice is even, but I don’t miss the lingering threat. It magically puts a halt to my pity party.
“I’m sorry, Mom.” Still huffing and puffing, I snatch the hem of my T-shirt to wipe away the sweat dripping down my back. I wish I could get rid of the stench as well, but that’ll have to wait. Only now do I realize that I should have headed to the gym instead of working out here. Of course, I pissed her off! How could I be so forgetful and thoughtless?
“Do you care to share why you couldn’t wait until a reasonable hour? I mean, I heard you loud and clear from upstairs. What prompted your sudden urge to work out like a man possessed?”
“I needed to unwind.” I grumble. Without preamble, I wrench out of my soaked shirt. “Now, if you’ll excuse me”—I swivel towards the small bathroom behind me—“a shower is next on my list.”
“Stop right there!” Her command is delivered a notch higher than necessary but has the desired effect. I turn to face her again, fingers combing through my wet hair. “Does it have something to do with Troy?”
Hearing his name rolling off of her tongue for the first time warms my heart for a split second… until I snap out of my trance and remember. The hope. The hurt. The betrayal.
Averting her piercing eyes, I shrug, helpless. My hands land in my shorts pockets and I stare at her, my breathing returning to normal, although my chest aches for an entirely different reason.
You played me. You used me. You lied to me.
I should grab my water bottle, but I can’t escape my mom’s eyes. Confusion. Sadness. Hurt.
“What changed between the moment I went to bed last night and now?”
Mmm… good one!
How can I convey what I witnessed? The moment that crushed my perfect dream.
Yeah, it was all a dream, you stupid fuck!
I shake my head in disbelief. Still, I can’t stop from blurting out the only word that encompasses my current state.
“Everything.”
Chapter 24
Broken Halos
Troy
“Here.” I pass a plate laden with a bagel and lox over the counter to Anna, then turn my back to her, pouring coffee into two mugs and slipping onto the barstool beside her.
Warmth invades my cheeks as I offer her a half-smile, then worry my lip when Mike’s naked body flashes through my dirty mind, betraying my constant yearning for my boyfriend. My heart swells at that.
My boyfriend!And to think that Mike was anxious because I was his first… Why didn’t I tell him that he’s my first in so many ways, too? I plan to rectify that when we meet up later today. Hopefully before Matteo’s Halloween party, but we haven’t made definitive plans yet. Grabbing my iPhone from the counter, I shoot him a quick text.
Anna rubs her face with her palms, then attacks her breakfast. “Thanks.” Her puffy eyes match the dark circles under mine due to my hangover.
“I’m sorry that Nick cheated on you, Anna. He sounded like a decent guy.”
My Dutch friend’s eyes are glassy, and I immediately regret bringing up the subject. “He’s a piece of shit!” The fact that she heard about it through the grapevine was the icing on the rotten cake. “I thought he wanted something steady.” She shrugs. “Stupid me! He’s a famous photographer and can have any woman he wants.”
“Don't even go there. It has nothing to do with you, okay.”
Anna kisses my forehead. Out of reflex, I check my messages and my brows knit. I sigh, noticing that Mike didn’t read my text, although it’s already past 10:00 a.m., which isn’t like him. He’s a light sleeper, even on weekends. Chasing the lingering annoyance, I convince myself that he’s still asleep and turn my attention back to Anna.
Last night’s goals were damage control and being there for my best friend… which made me forget to text Mike goodnight; he can’t be pissed because of that, right?
My long road to self-awareness, relationship material, and allowing myself to envision a future with someone is this morning’s hot topic, thanks to her never-ending line of questioning. I fidget. I blush. I cough.
